Owners are urged to update dog details

Dogs Trust Shoreham’s annual Stray Dog Survey has revealed that 181 dogs nationally go missing every day. Although the survey shows the lowest number of strays, 66,277, were picked up by local authorities nationally since data collection started 20 years ago, thanks to the introduction of compulsory microchipping last year.

Research carried out by Dogs Trust worryingly revealed that only one in four people know to contact the local dog warden if they encounter a stray dog.

To highlight the issue, Dogs Trust took to the streets with its own ‘stray’ dog, actor Henry, as he approached members of the public to help guide him home. To watch Henry’s journey visit: www.dogstrust.org.uk/straydogsurvey

Tracey Rae, Dogs Trust Shoreham Rehoming Centre manager, said: “This year’s stray dog survey is a double edged sword. Whilst showing that the number of strays has fallen and nationally there has been the greatest reduction in stray numbers since records began, the findings also demonstrate that owners are failing to follow the law when it comes to ensuring the details on the microchip are up-to-date and that they wear a collar and tag.

“If owners ensure their dogs have up-to-date microchip details, a collar and tag and can come back when called, they can avoid their beloved pet becoming another statistic.

“By encouraging people to share this video and check their own dog’s microchip is up-to-date, we hope that we can increase people’s awareness of the issue and continue to reduce the number of stray dogs across the country. We want to make sure that dogs and their owners can be reunited as quickly as possible – helping to make sure that, ‘A dog is for life’.”

The charity suspects that many lost dogs may be much loved family pets which have sadly ended up permanently separated from their families because their owner’s had moved house or changed their phone number, and neglected to contact the microchip database to update their contact details on their dog’s microchip.